Jennifer Mann selected as Monette water clerk

Jennifer Mann is excited about her new position as Monette City Water Clerk. She has worked part-time in the office and assumed full time duties May 15. She will be responsible for billing and collections of all water/sewer accounts.

The Osceola native chose Monette as her home eight years ago.

"We went to Jonesboro often but we usually went through the Caraway/Black Oak area," Mann said. "One day we were going to Jonesboro from Osceola and the road was flooded so we took the Highway 18 route through Monette. I didn't know anyone in Monette but as we went through I decided it looked like a great place to live. I had also heard good things about the BIC School District."

Mann calls her decision to move to Monette a good one for her and her daughters. She has two daughters, Amanda Trudeau, 16, a junior at BIC, and Alyssa Mann, 8, who will be going into the third grade at BIC West Elementary.

After Mann moved her family to Monette, her mother, Dorothy Richardson, moved from Seattle to make her home in Monette and her brother, Ray Parsons Jr., has moved to Monette from Osceola. Her father, Ray Parsons Sr., lives in Jonesboro.

Her grandparents, the late Joe and Elizabeth Parsons, were longtime residents of Osceola.

Mann's previous work experience will be an asset to her in the city office. She worked for five years as a child support enforcement officer in Blytheville. She said the employees stayed very busy keeping cases ready for court and working on collections. The first two years she was working for Mississippi County and then the office became a state office for the last three years. Mann wanted to be home more with her daughters and she gave up the position. She worked for Staff Mart and filled several interesting office positions but that still kept her out of town a lot. She then opened her own cleaning service in the area.

Her new position at city hall is perfect for her, she said.

"I love the work and it is close to home," Mann said. "Everyone has been very friendly and helpful. Janice (Chambers) is training me very well. I've learned a lot from her."

Mann will be working in the office with Vicki Carroll.

"I've met a lot of people since I've moved to Monette," Mann said. "Working at city hall will give me the opportunity to meet more people in the area. I enjoy working with people and look forward to helping them."